Laikipia Senator John Kinyua, a close ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has resigned from his position as a commissioner of the Parliamentary Service Commission.
His resignation comes amid reports of an ongoing purge targeting Gachagua’s supporters within the government.
The announcement of Kinyua’s resignation was made on Tuesday, November 19, during a Senate plenary session by Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot.
Cheruiyot informed the House that Kinyua would be replaced by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga, and a vote was held where Senators unanimously supported Wamatinga’s appointment to the position.
Kinyua’s departure from the commission follows his public apology to President William Ruto during a visit to Laikipia, where he had previously voted against all impeachment charges leveled against Gachagua.
“Your Excellency, people sometimes create a lot of issues, and at times you may slip, but slipping isn’t falling. People slip and sometimes make mistakes along the way,” Kinyua stated during his apology.
The resignation is part of a broader political shakeup within the ruling party, which is reportedly targeting several key allies of Gachagua.
Sources suggest that the purge is a routine mid-term restructuring, with prominent figures in the National Assembly facing potential removal from their leadership positions.
In another significant move, Molo MP Kuria Kimani is expected to replace Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro as the chairman of the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee, following a sweeping reshuffle of parliamentary committee leadership.
Additionally, some MPs, particularly from the opposition ODM party, are anticipated to be appointed to leadership positions across various parliamentary committees, signaling a shift in the power dynamics within the House.
A number of MPs holding influential committee roles are reportedly on the chopping block, including Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba (Chair of the Constitutional Implementation and Oversight Committee),
Ndia MP George Kariuki (Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee), and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya (Chair of the Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Committee).
Other MPs potentially affected by the shakeup include Emurua Dikir MP Johanna Ngeno (Housing, Urban Development, and Public Works),
Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka (Energy), Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia (Regional Integration), Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai (Public Petitions), and Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki (Tourism and Wildlife).
As the leadership changes unfold, political observers are keenly watching the reshuffles and the implications for the balance of power in both the Senate and National Assembly.
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